“Losing weight” is counted among the most common New Year’s Resolutions year after year—but WHY? A lot comes down to the numbers; Forbes reports that less than 25% of people who make resolutions stay committed to them by the end of January, and only 8% of people actually accomplish them!
But that’s not all; weight-loss resolutions in particular are made difficult by a number of biological factors! Read on to see 3 big reasons why weight-loss resolutions fail—and find out how YOU can never resolve to lose weight again.
Reason 1: Our Bodies Are Working Against Us
From going into starvation mode to producing plenty of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, the science is clear—in trying to protect us, our bodies often make it hard to lose weight on a biological level.
“Yo-yo dieting” is very common among people trying to lose weight; it refers to the cycle of dieting, losing weight, stopping the diet, and gaining weight back, repeated again and again. All of this is an extension of our bodies trying to keep us from dying of starvation under the assumption that the weight loss is unintentional.
This phenomenon is especially prevalent in cases where individuals lose weight through extreme, unhealthy, and unsustainable diets and exercise routines. Take, for instance, previous contestants of the popular reality program The Biggest Loser. They allege that the trainers used unhealthy exercise regimens, diet pills, dehydration, and more behind the scenes for more dramatic results for the televised “weigh-ins.”
The long-term results of these contestants showed the extent to which a body will fight weight loss. Scientists already knew that dieting causes our metabolism to slow, but they were surprised to see that the Biggest Loser contestants never recovered as their bodies attempted to regain the weight that they lost—winner Danny Cahill gained 100 pounds back after the show and had to eat 800 calories less per day than an average man his size to maintain his weight. Only 1 of the 14 contestants studied weighed less in 2016 that she did six years prior; 4 contestants weighed even more than they did before the competition.
Reason 2: Many Diets Are Ineffective
Knowing the lengths that our bodies will go to in order to undermine weight loss, how do people manage to find success? The key is sustainability; many people gain weight back after dieting because they treat the change as temporary and revert back to unhealthy habits as soon as they are “done”.
More dangerous are the “fad” diets that restrict important nutrients in favor of a “quick fix,” often in the forms of fasting, a liquid cleanse, or other restrictions on consumption. Limiting salty and sugary snacks is a great idea—but cutting out too many foods could be a recipe for disaster in the form of malnutrition.
Even as we work to adjust our intake and eat healthily, our bodies have other plans. As the body enters “starvation mode” to combat weight loss, it produces more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, which sends signals to the brain to increase appetite and slow metabolism. Meanwhile, many obese and overweight individuals develop a resistance to leptin, the hormone that increases satiety and suppresses hunger.
Treating diets as a punishing slog also contributes to their ineffectiveness—after all, if a diet makes you feel miserable, how are you going to maintain it long term? It is even suggested that we may absorb less nutrients from foods we don’t like! The dread of dieting may not always impede short-term results, but it’s the healthy habits and choices we stick to that keep us moving steadily towards our goals.
As a society, diets are seen as a means to an end rather than a lifestyle change. Unfortunately, if we see it that way ourselves, we become less likely to find success through dieting alone.
Reason 3: Weight-Related Conditions Can Slow Progress
Some of the most weight-related conditions have one, unfortunate thing in common; we constantly hear our patients tell us that these comorbidities are holding them back.
From reduced mobility to exhaustion to pain, many overweight and obese people live with the symptoms of conditions that range in severity and day-to-day impact, including:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Sleep Apnea
- Joint and Bone Pain
- Depression and Anxiety
- Heart Disease
- Reproductive Health Problems
Managing comorbidities in addition to dieting and exercise can be overwhelming, but don’t lose hope! With the right support and tools, anyone can make the changes they need to start living a healthier life—but where do you start?
The Solution: Weight-Loss Surgery!
When it comes to scientifically proven, long-term weight loss, bariatric surgery is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off.
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